Car construction



Mai-ch 30, 1943; E. R, 'GREENER CAR conswnucnon Filed May 17, 1941 v ll llllll u|||||| I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllnllllllllwv 6 INVENTOR. I u e/ze reaper.

y 5 C7 v 'A'T RNE'Y Patented Mar. 30, 1943 CAR CONSTRUCTION Eugene It. Greener,

Pressed Steel Car Company,

Dormont, Pa., assignor to 1110.; Pittsburgh,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 17, 1941, Serial No. 393,957

12 Claims. v(Cl. 10515) My invention pertains to railway passenger cars, and particularly to the diaphragms forming enclosures for the space between adjacent ends of coupled cars.

An object of the present invention is to provide an enclosure comprising inside and outside diaphragms independently suspended from the car end.

Another object of my invention is to provide an outside diaphragm enclosure having an integral face plate, movement of which is actuated by relative movement between the adjacent ends of the adjacent coupled cars.

A further object of my invention is to provide an enclosure for the purpose described, comprising inner diaphragms held in continuous engagement and outer diaphragms independent in operation from the inner diaphragms and having face plates normally in engagement.

These and other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds, in which Fig. 1 shows in elevation the end of a railway car embodying the invention; Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail of the invention; Fig. 3 shows an enlargement of a section taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows in plan the adjacent ends of two coupled cars equipped with the invention and in position on a straight portion of the track; Fig. 5 shows in plan the relative position of the car bodies and outer diaphragms whilst traversing a curved portion of the track; Fig. 6 shows an enlarged detail of the invention at lines 6-6 on Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings where like reference characters refer to like parts, the reference character I indicates generally a passenger car body, the outermost end portion only of which is shown. These passenger car bodies in accordance with well-known practice are usually equipped with end platforms, commonly called vestibules, but are sometimes made without the end platform. Hence, it will be understood that in this specification and appended claims wherever the car end is spoken of, it refers to the end of the car vestibule or to the end of the car body which is not equipped with a vestibule.

The closure for the car end comprises inner and outer diaphragms mounted independently of each other upon the car end. The face plate of the inner diaphragm extends outwardly beyond the face plate of the outer diaphragm when the car is in uncoupled position, and when the cars are coupled together in a train, the inner diaphragms are moved inwardly so as to bring the face plate thereof in substantially the vertical plane of the face plate of the outer diaphragm. Both diaphragms are of the flexible type and may be moved toward and away from thecar body as the relative position of the adjacent ends of adjacent cars changes during operation of a train of such cars. Due to initial compression in the inner diaphragms their face plates on adjacent ends of the cars will remain in abutting relation even if the face plates of the outer diaphragms have separated and by making the initial compression in the inner diaphragms greater than the extreme travel of the coupler on the respective car bodies, the inner diaphragm face plates will remain in abutting relation during all positions of the coupled car bodies.

It will be further observed upon reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings that the inner and outer diaphragm face plates are independently supported fromthe car end andthus may move relative .to each other as well as relative to. the car ends during operation of the cars in train. Whilst no supporting means has been indicated for the inner diaphragm face plate, it will be understood that any suitable means of a present well-known type of support may be used, it only being necessary to have the inner diaphragms under a substantial initial compression and the outer diaphragms under little or no compression when the cars are in normal coupled position on a straight track. By reason of this construction the outer diaphragm face plate may be of relatively light construction, requiring only sufficient rigidity to maintain its shape.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which the car bodies generally are indicated by the reference character I; the car end by the reference character 2; the car end post bythe reference character 3; and the usual passenger passageway between the end posts indicated by the reference character 4; the inner diaphragm which may be of any suitable construction is indicated by the reference character 5 and shown as being of the bellows fold type. This inner diaphragm is secured to the car end preferably at the end posts 3 by any suitable means and at its outer end has a suitable face plate 6 attached thereto and resiliently held in spaced relation to the car end. As previously stated, this face plate 6 may be supported from the car end by any suitable means. 7

The outer diaphragm 1 is secured to the car end' by any suitable means 8 and is made of substantially flat flexible material conforming to the contour of the car sidewalls and roof. This outer-diaphragm 1 may be made of elastic material if desired, but it is not necessary. Secured to the free end of the outer diaphragm I by any suitable means, such as 9, is the outer diaphragm face plate II]. This face plate I is generally of inverted U-shape and of channel shape in cross section, comprising a web portion I I, outer flange I2, and inner flange I3. As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the web I I is preferably of substantiallygreater width at the top of the face plate than in the legs. By so doing the total weight of the face plate can be lessened and sufficient rigidity retained. The weight may be further reduced by placing apertures in the top thereof, as shown. It will be understood,

however, that the particular shape of the face plate I0 may be varied in design provided only that it is of sufficient rigidity and of an-outercontour conforming to that of the outerdia phragm I.

This face plate I0, is supported from the-car end independently of the inner face plate 6 and is preferably'pivotally mounted on the car" end for unitary movement relative'thereto' onsubstantially horizontally disposed laterally extending supporting members. v These supporting members are preferablyfrigid and maybe. of any suitable construction. The preferred form. illustrated in the drawings comprises an intermediate pressed portion I 4 havingsuitable. end portions I5 and I6 secured" thereto which are preferably castings. These d'iaphragm'supporting; arms I4'-I5*I6 are preferably, disposedin pairso'n opposite sides of theinner diaphragm. Each depending legeof the outer face plate IIlis provided with vertically spaced members I'Ihaving one end secured to theface platebehind theweb II and the opposite endportion offset. so as to lie in thevertical plane" of the outer face of web II and extend laterally therefrom toward the inner diaphragmr For this purpose the flange III of the face plate Illis cut away at I8.I This extensionof member I! permits-reduction in the size of the legs of the face plate. I0 and still provides adequaterubbing surfaces when the car bodies shift laterally relative to each otheruduring operation .ofthe cars. The casting I5 of the supporting arm is .di'sposed behind the adjacent member I1 and has its free end p ortion pivotally connected to the member I1 behindthe web II of the face plate by means ofa suitable pin I 9 engaging suitable apertures inthe casting I5 and member vI'I; The relationship between the casting. I5 and member I1 is such that the casting I5 mayrotatev relative to' the member I! on the scribedi; M

At the opposite end of. the diaphragm suppin, I9 as hereinafter deinserted end of the link 2I. Disposed between the supporting arm It-I5-I6 and the car end is a helical coil spring 26, This spring 26 is shown with its opposite ends connected to the casting I6 and bracket 26, respectively, and need be only of sufficient strength to maintain the outer diaphragm I taut. In order to maintain the spring 26 in compression only during all positions-of the arm I4I5I6, I prefer to connect the spring 26 with the bracket and casting I6 by means of. spring caps 21 and 28 provided with trunnions 29 mounted in bracket 26 and trunnions 30 mounted in casting I6.

From the foregoing description and a reference to Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings, it will be apparent that the pairs of arms I4I5I6 connected with thedepending leg portions of the porting members IR-IS-IG, as shown. by Fig} 6, are suitable bracketsifl' securedet'o the car. end 2 and provided with a link. member 2| pivotally connected to the bracket 26 by means of the pin 22. Eachlink 2| is provided with a suitably shaped portion 23' engaging with the bracket 2!! to limit relative movement between the link 2| and bracket 20 in a direction toward the adjacent side of the car. The link portion 23 is freely movable away from the bracket 20 to permit relative rotation between the link 2| and bracket 20 in a direction toward the inner diaphragm. Each casting I6 of the supporting arm I4I5 I6 is provided with a bifurcated portion 2-4 between which is engaged the free end of the link 2| and pivotally connected thereto by means of thepin 25 passing through suitable apertures in 'the said bifurcated portion 24 and face plate I0 will maintain the face plate in fixed lateral relation to the car end, as each pair of arms. I4I5I6 attached to each leg of face plate Ill is prevented from movingvtowards the adjacent side of thecar although free to move towards the opposite side of the car; hence, the faceplate I0 can pivot on'the pins Ill-at one side of the face plate ID orthe face plate can move bodily'toward and away fromthe car end. The arms I4I 5I6 through pins I9 and 25 also provide vertical support for the face plate I0 as the arms move in a fixed horizontal plane.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, as previously. stated, in Fig. 1 inner face plate 6 projects outwardly beyond the vertical plane of the outer face plate I0; andin Fig. 4 of the drawings, wherein adjacent ends of the cars are shown in coupled relation, face, plates 6 and I0 of each car abut with corresponding face plates of the adjacent car and the respective' face plates 6 and I 0 of each car are in substantially the same vertical plane. As previously stated, the initial. compression applied to inner diaphragm5 during coupling of the cars tobring face plate 6 substantially within,

the vertical plane of face plate I 0 moves face plate 6' towards the respective car body a distance greater than the extreme outward travel of the coupler attached to its respective car. Thatis'to say, in coupling the cars the face plate 6' is moved towards its respective car end a distance greater than the total outward, movement from normal position of the coupler attached to that car. In this compressed position the face plate 6 and face plate II] of each car are in outward spaced relation from their respective car ends. Thus when the coupler of each car moves outward from the end of the car,

the face plates 6 will remain in abutting relation even though the face plates I0 may separate, and likewise,'as the couplers move inwardly of their respective car body, the diaphragms 5 and I fold to permit movement of their respective face plates. Thus it will be apparent that in all possible positions of the car bodies the face plates 6 will. be maintained in constant abutting relation, thereby providing an. enclosed passageway for passenger travel between the respective end of the. adjacent car bodies.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5: When the adjacent coupled cars are moving from off a straight portion, of track, as shown in Fig. 4, on to a curved portion of a track, the car bodies will assume a position as shown in Fig. 5. As

illustrated in Fig. 5 during the time the adjagular relation between each outer face plate l and its associated car body is changing. While the ends of the car bodies I move together at the inner side of the curve, the springs 25 are being compressed by the car bodies moving towards the arms 14-45-46 attached to the respective car bodies and to the adjacent end of the associated face plate Ill. As this movement continues, arms l4-l5--l6 rotate on their respective pins 25 thereby tending to bring their ends attached to the face plates ID inwardly of the associated car body. The face plate [0 being a rigid member and being held in fixed transverse relation to the car body by means of pin !9 at the outer side of the curve will resist this force tending to move the face plates Ill transversely of each car body I. The link 2| attached by means of pin 25 to the inner end of arm 1-45-45 at the inner side of the car will iotate on pin 22 mounted in the casting 20 secured to each car body I and in a direction inwardly of their respective car bodies and away from the sides of the ends of the car bodies at the inner side of the curve. This movement of link 2| compensates for the aforesaid shortening movement of the outer end of its associated arm M-l5-l6 so that the said arm pivoting on pin 22 moves bodily inwardly of the car instead of causing plate in to move toward the outer side of the curve, Continued movement of said links 21 permit the associated arm l4l5l6 to move bodily toward the adjacent end of the associate car and the attached face plate It to pivot on pin !9 adjacent the outer side of the curve. In this manner a greater movement between the face plate 10 and its associate car body at the inner side of the curve is obtained than would be possible were the link 2| rigid with associated member 20.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a railway car diaphragm construction, a rigid inverted U-shaped out-er face plate disposed in spaced relation to the car end, a plurality of vertically spaced laterally extending arms pivotally connected with said outer face plate and with the car end for supporting the face plate upon the car, resilient means between each said arms and the car end normally main taining said outer face plate in horizontally spaced relation to the car end, flexible means forming with the outer face plate and car end an enclosure for the space therebetween, and an inner face plate and diaphragm forming a passageway suspended from the car end independently of the said outer face plate and normally resiliently urged outwardly of the vertical plane of said outer face plate for longitudinal movement relative thereto.

2. In a car diaphragm construction, in combination, an inverted substantially U-shaped flexible diaphragm connected to the car end, a similarly shaped rigid face plate connected to said diaphragm and pivotally suspended from the car end by means of substantially horizontally disposed laterally extending rigid arms pivotally'connected with the face plate and the car end, resilient means between each said arm and the car end retaining the face plate in normally spaced relation to the car end, each said connection between the said arms and car end including means preventing bodily lateral movement of said arm towards the adjacent car side wall and providing limited bodily movement of the said arm towards the opposite side of the face plate.

3. Means for closing the space between the adjacent ends of two coupled car bodies comprising inner flexible diaphragms suspended from the respective car ends for movement relative thereto and provided with abutting face plates, flexible outer diaphragms of substantially inverted U-shape secured to the respective car ends and provided with normally abutting face plates, a plurality of laterally extending rigid members supporting each outer diaphragm face plate from the respective car end and pivotally connected with the car end and the face plate for substantially horizontal pivotal movement relative to the car end, the connection between each said rigid member and car end including a pivotally mounted link member movable only away from the adjacent car side wall.

4. In a railway car diaphragm construction, in combination, a flexible outer diaphragm secured to the car end, an inverted rigid U-shaped face plate secured to the diaphragm, laterally extending means pivotally connected with the car end and with the sides of said face plate providing vertical and lateral support therefor, said means providing for relative longitudinal movement between said car end and face plate and relative pivotal movement between the car end and face plate about one side of the latter.

5. In a railway car diaphragm construction including the usual passageway inner diaphragm and face plate, the combination of a rigid inverted substantially U-shaped outer diaphragm face plate enclosing said passageway inner diaphragm and disposed in horizontal spaced relation to the associated car end, flexible means conforming to the contour of the car end and connecting said outer face plate and the associated car end, vertically spaced shoe members rigidly secured to each of the arms of the. inverted U-shaped outer diaphragm face plate and extending therefrom in a direction transversely of the face plate, correspondingly spaced outer diaphragm face plate supporting arms each having their respective opposite ends pivotally connected with the said car end adjacent said inner diaphragm and with the outer diaphragm face plate at the shoes thereon, resilient means disposed between each arm and the car end normally maintaining the outer diaphragm face plate in horizontal spaced relation to the car end.

6. In a railway car diaphragm construction, a flexible diaphragm conforming to the contour of the car side walls and roof and secured thereto, a face plate connected with the diaphragm, a plurality of vertically spaced laterally extending rigid members pivotally connected with each side of the face plate and car end to provide fixed vertical support for and to laterally position the face plate relative to the car' end and resilient means between each rigid member and the car end spacing the face plate from the car end.

'7. Means for enclosing the space between the adjacent ends of adjacent coupled car bodies, comprising adjacently arranged flexible diaphragms conforming to the contour of the car sides and roof and secured thereto, face plates secured to said diaphragms, a plurality of vertically spaced laterally extending rigid members pivotally connected to each side of each face plate and to the adjacent car end providing fixed .vertical support for said face plates; and,

asociated face plates in abutting relation-and spaced from the car ends.

8. Means for closing the space between adjacent ends of adjacent coupled car bodies', comprising a'djacently arranged flexible outer diaphragm members each conforming to the contour of the respective car side walls and roof and secured thereto, each diaphragm being provided with a face plate abutting the adjacent diaphragm face plate, flexible inner diaphragm members provided with abutting face plates and supported from their respective car ends independently of the outer diaphragms and face plates, each inner diaphragm face plate being resiliently spaced from the respective car end to normally lie within the vertical plane of the abutting outer diaphragm face plates and capable of longitudinal movement relative to said vertical plane, vertically spaced shoe members fixedly secured to each side of each outer diaphragm face plate and having portions providing opposing lateral extensions of said face plates, brackets secured to the respective car ends adjacent opposite sides of the respective inner diaphragms, a link member pivotally mounted on each bracket, means on each link and associated bracket preventingrotation of the link from normal position towards the adjacent carside wall, and a rigid member pivotally connected to each bracket link and to the adjacent shoe member for supporting the associated outer diaphragm face plate, and resilient means between each member and the adjacent car end for maintaining the outer diaphragm face plates in abutting relation.

9. Means for closing the'space between adjacent ends of adjacent coupled car bodies comprising flexible inner diaphragm members provided with abutting face plates supported from their respective car ends so as to be resiliently spaced therefrom and moveable longitudinally relative thereto, flexible outer diaphragm members enclosing the inner diaphragm members and connected with the car side walls, the outer diaphragm members being provided with face plates which are resiliently held in abutting relation when the cars are in normal coupled relation, and means supporting said outer diaphragm face plates in vertical spaced relation to the respective car ends for movement independent of the inner diaphragm face plates.

H 10 In a railway car construction, a diaphragm arrangement comprising a substantially flat flexible member secured to the car end and conforming substantially to the contour of the car side walls and roof, an inverted rigid U-shaped face plate secured to said flat member in spaced relation to said car end, a plurality of laterally extending rigid members pivotally connected with each depending leg of the face plate and with the car end providing'vertical and lateral pivotal support for the face plate, and resilient means connected with each said supporting member and the car end controlling movement of the face plate longitudinally of the car end.

11. In combination with a railway car, a flexible diaphragm of inverted U-shape secured to the car end and conforming to the contour of the car side walls, a similarly shaped face plate secured to the diaphragm'in spaced relation to the car end, laterally extending rigid means pivotally connected'to each leg of the face plate and link connected to the adjacent car end providing vertical support for the face plate during relative movement between the face plate and car end, and for pivotal movement about either side of said face plate upon said means, and

resilient means associated with each said rigid means and car end for holding the face plate in longitudinal spaced relation to the car end.

12. In a railway car diaphragm construction in combination, a car end wall having a passageway therein, a flexible inner diaphragm secured to the end wall and forming an extension of said passageway, a flexible outer diaphragm secured to the end wall and conforming to the contour of the sidesand top thereof, said outer diaphragm enclosing the inner diaphragm and extending outwardly from the car end, a face plate of substantially inverted U-shape secured to the outer diaphragm, a face plate secured to the inner diaphragm and normally resiliently held outwardly of the vertical plane of the outer diaphragm face plate for longitudinal movement relative thereto, means connected to the car end and outer diaphragm face plate providing fixed lateral and vertical support therefore, and providing for longitudinal movement of the face plate relative to thecar end wall and pivotal movement relative to the'car end wall about one side of the face plate.

EUGENE R. GREENER. 

